About NER

MISSION

By publishing new fiction, poetry, and nonfiction that is both challenging and inviting, New England Review encourages artistic exchange and thought-provoking innovation, providing publishing opportunities for writers at all stages in their careers.

The selection of writings in each issue presents a broad spectrum of viewpoints and genres, including traditional and experimental fiction, long and short poems, translations, criticism, letters from abroad, reviews in arts and literature, and rediscoveries. New England Review exists in a place apart from mass culture, where speed and information overload are the norm. At NER, serious writing is given serious attention, from the painstaking selection process through careful editing and publication, where finally the writer’s words meet up with a curious and dedicated readership.

HISTORY

Vol. 1, #1 (1978)

NER was founded by poets Sydney Lea and Jay Parini in New Hampshire in 1978. In the fall of 1982 the magazine established an affiliation with the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference and adopted the name NER/BLQ (New England Review/Bread Loaf Quarterly). In 1987, the magazine came under full sponsorship of Middlebury College, and in 1990 returned to its original name, New England Review.

The list of writers whose work has been published in NER is long and distinguished. Many highly regarded authors—among them Ann Beattie, Kathryn Davis, Mark Doty, Louise Erdrich, and Jorie Graham—were published in NER before they achieved international recognition, and works published in the magazine are chosen every year for prestigious awards, including the Pushcart Prize, O. Henry Prize, and inclusion in the Best American anthologies.

In addition to founding editors Jay Parini and Sydney Lea and current editor-at-large Stephen Donadio, former editors and editorial staff include David Bain, Jessica Dineen, Maura High, David Huddle, T. R. Hummer, Devon Jersild, William Lychack, Jim Schley, Jodee Stanley, and C. Dale Young. Toni Best served as office manager for twenty-three years.

INTERNSHIPS

New England Review offers internships to Middlebury College students each semester and during winter term and summer. In these internships, students gain hands-on experience in publishing a literary magazine. Middlebury students interested in applying for an internship should send a resume and letter of interest to Carolyn Kuebler.

current issue

Confluences

Before Robert was born, scientists of the Human Genome Project had begun mapping our species’ DNA structure and variants, all three billion nucleotides. They finished in 2003.

In 2012, Robert’s genomic analysis showed one mutation inherited from me, the other de novo, unreported or entirely new. A transcription error during gamete replication, perhaps. A silent ping from a heretofore unknown genomic universe. A one in three billion chance happening, his geneticist said of my son, a roll of the conceptual dice.